There is a lot of hype surrounding 3D printed cars lately, and although they do have the potential to greatly reduce auto manufacturing times as well as material waste and potentially fuel consumption, the more eco-conscious population is much more keen on the 3D printed bikes of the future.

Good news for that group comes today out of CES 2016 in Las Vegas, where Tokyo-based Cerevo Inc. has unveiled a connected road bike with a custom-built titanium 3D printed frame that ensures a strong yet lightweight finished product. Called Orbitrec, the 3D printed bicycle also features a 9-axis internal sensor that can receive and send information via a companion smartphone application, capable of tracking critical information for the rider such as temperature changes and road conditions, and even sending out an alert in case of an accident.

Cerevo (which stands for Consumer Electronic REVOlution) is located in the famed Akihabara electronics district of Tokyo, Japan, and focuses on creating unique networked and Internet of Things (IoT) enabled devices for consumer and professional users. Their XON series is a line of ‘smart sports products’ that add value and fun to sports experiences by creating products that can be connected to smartphones or the cloud. As the latest addition to the XON series, the Orbitrec 3D printed bike features a host of high-tech add-ons that will enhance users’ cycling experience, whether they are riding competitively, working out, or just commuting to work.

Using 3D printing technology provided by NTT Data Engineering Systems, the Orbitrec’s frame was manufactured with sintered 3D printed titanium and bridged with high-quality carbon fiber tubes, which ensured that the parts could be mass produced with sufficient practical strength, while remaining light weight and with an eye-catching geometric design. In addition, each Orbitrec frame can be customized to perfectly fit each individual owner and 3D printed to exact specifications.

In addition to its strong and lightweight 3D printed parts, the Orbitrec’s frame includes various advanced sensors that can collect data and analyze it in the cloud in order to create a detailed ride log for cyclists and even make cycling more enjoyable and significantly safer.

Thanks to a 9-axis built-in sensor that measures acceleration, angular velocity, geomagnetism, as well as sensors for temperature, humidity, atmosphere and illuminance sensors, and a GPS, the Orbitrec 3D printed bike can detect and record location, environment, frame lean and even impact while riding. Recorded data can be analyzed in the cloud to create visual ride logs, and to alert riders to unsafe cycling conditions.

Thanks to Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, this data can then be communicated with other devices and services. For example, illuminance sensors can tell the bike’s lights to automatically turn on when entering a tunnel; detected road bumps can be uploaded to cloud or to Twitter via the smartphone app, alerting other riders of changes in road conditions. And, in the case of a cycling accident, the impact sensors can automatically trigger an emergency SMS to be sent to a friend.

Designed and produced through a collaboration with Triple Bottom Line, DMM.make AKIBA, and ABBALab, the Orbitrec 3D printed bike can be used for either personal or professional riding. The company also promises a delivery time of less than one month and a price of less than $7,000, with sales beginning in Spring 2016. Cerevo also unveiled the RIDE-1 at CES, a clip-on sensor module that allows existing bike owners to use the same advanced sensors and connected features from Orbitrec on their existing bicycle frames.

If the connected, 3D printed Orbitrec bike, or even the E-Floater 3D printed electronic scooter, are any indication of the future of transportation, then I cannot wait for that future to finnally arrive. The full specs for the Orbitrec 3D printed bike are available below:

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